Demystifying Structure

[Lund Explorer]

Structure and Cover on Structure - The two most misunderstood things in fishing. Thanks for bringing this back up.

[Fishing-Vol]

Since some refuse to search the site let me see this will kick to the forums

I'm sorry, but I searched and searched.

You've already have some outstanding information so I'll just add the read the following

Demystifying Structure by Catt

http://www.bassresou...?num=1186055966

Bait Fish by Matt Fly

Part 1 - http://www.bassresou...?num=1134661967

Part 2 - http://www.bassresou...num=1134662267/

Power of Observation I & II by Raul

http://www.bassresou...um=1119546571/0

How come when I click on the link it just sends me back to the home page????

[tnbassfisher]

Those links take me to the main forum page. But this is worth bookmarking.

[Hooligan]

Never will fish be found that are not related to structure in some manner; this is why it is said that 10% of the water holds 90% of the fish.

I agree with you wholly, with the exception of the above statement. There are instances in lakes across the US that black bass species become almost pelagic, not relating to structure at any time of the year outside the spawning period. These situations are rather unique, however. In most situations they're lakes with populations of fish that are solely reliant on baitfish; herring lakes, in particular, are a great example of this.

Catt, your description of breakline is spot on, as always. One could also get into the definition of a primary break, a secondary break, and a transition. When you consider a primary, it's typically the most abrupt change in gradient be it up or down. A secondary is most often relating to either a depression on the primary break, or it can also relate to a change in gradient angle anywhere along a primary break. Don't confuse it with a primary and secondary point. (IMO, defining a break as so, is somewhat unnecessary, unless you find that specific areas of a body of water are holding fish for a specific reason: A short shelf that sits in 11 feet of water while continuing the primary descent to 19') Bringing up that point also brings up the need to understand what you're looking at, be it on electronics or any other form. If you are seeing fish hanging at a specific depth in a lake and they're relating to the same break- well, there's the start of your pattern.

Considering the transitions is entirely different, to me. The word transition is used far too often in angling to describe too many things. I've heard it used to describe everything from fronts to overall weather patterns. I've heard it used to describe changes in bottom content to change in depth and gradient. While all of these may be true, a transition in its pure form is simply any change in bottom content. It has nothing to do with anything else. It's based entirely on structure and content of the lake bed. Fish will relate to transitions at different times of year based on different reasons. Brown fish, for instance, prefer large rock transitioning to soft bottom. Green fish often prefer a transition from soft, vegetated bottom to a hard bottom lacking cover. Not all the lines of a transition will hold fish, and there are reasons for that, as well. Fish will tend to key on one structural element or another; when you find that situation, repeat it as often as possible.

[North Ga Hillbilly]

Glad it was put out in such a easy to understand way. It was a long time before I knew the diff between structure and cover. It really helped as soon as I got the diff. Ive recently started looking into the connection between structure as the main magnet, and then cover as the next place to look after finding the right structure.

Good stuff

NGaHB

[Traveler2586]

Bass must have a visible path of breaks and break lines on a structure from deep water all the way to the shallows; which is where the bulk of food is available to bass. As bass move along a structure they pause or stop at "things"; breaks and break lines on the bottom. It is at such breaks that anglers can expect to make consistent contact with fish as they migrate along structure. This is why a certain stump or flooded tree, dock piling or submerged rock consistently produces bass for anglers. Most of the time such a spot is merely a break or bass stopping point on structure. Find more such breaks on the structure or break lines or even the deep water sanctuary near the structure then you'll find more and bigger bass more often.

There can be many structures, breaks, and break lines in a body of water. But only a few of them are so well related to deep water that schools of large bass consistently use them. The search for good fish-able structure can be a quick one with much of the work done by simply studying an accurate contour map of the water.

Many of the best structures in a lake or river will have large fertile weed beds on them that harbor an abundance of minnows, crayfish and other bass forage. A weed bed a long distance from deep water with no "structure" linking the two will not be as productive as the weed bed on a structure having breaks and break lines near the deepest water in the area.

Catt, are you a student of Buck Perry, the farther of structure fishing??

[Catt]

Yelp

[Catt]

Hooligan, if one were to take a look at the bottom of the body of water where those bass are "keying" on herring" they still following structure.

The statement is "Never will fish be found that are not related to structure in some manner", this does not mean the fish will be located on the bottom!

Transition: passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another

Bass "transition" from winter areas to spawning area

The weather "transitioned" from spring into summer

Don't complete a simple process of structure

[Nitrofreak]

When we talk about fishing structure, how is it determined when to fish deep structure and shallow structure?

Shallow being, IMO, the easier one to find fish during spawning months.

If we do not have the means of expencive electronics to help us find the fish, is it the shad patterns we follow?

For example: Gizzard shad and threadfin shad are common forage in my home lake, I know that gizzard shad frequent deep,fertile water usually until spring, then they head for shallower water to spawn just like bass in the spring, if I were to key in on bait schools that are deep these should be gizzard shad and the bass follow the same structure to be able to feed for their up coming spawn, is that anywhere close to being correct?

[Fishing-Vol]

Those links take me to the main forum page. But this is worth bookmarking.

Exactly. But I still can't find Matt Fly's bait fish post, because the link doesn't take me to the post. I also can't go to other links that are in good posts.

[Catt]

Nitrofreak, I do not own expensive electronics, I do own an understanding of structure, bass, prey and the relationship of the three.

Shallow and deep are relative to the body of water you are fishing.

Depending on the size of the body of water "shallow" may have nothing to do with the shoreline.

Take Toledo Bend for an example there are bass out on the main lake that never have and never will see a shoreline.

[Nitrofreak]

First of all, thank you for the reply catt, it means a lot !!!

I was not referring to shoreline as shallow water, at least that was not my intention, my apologies for being misleading.

Although site fishing would be much easier, at least you know for sure you are in the right spot lol.

Fishing structure has always been my favorite thing to do, very rarely will you find me pounding the shoreline, unless the shoreline has enough structure to hold bass, however fishing structure has also been my weakness a lot of times when the things I read lead me to where there should be fish and find only that they are not anywhere close and leaves me scratching my head thinking, all of this great information can't be wrong, I must be the one at fault.

The key I suppose is to be on the water a ton to understand or get a better understanding of the structure you are fishing and how it relates to why the bass travel a particular path or even stop at a particular point of interest.

[Fishing-Vol]

Exactly. But I still can't find Matt Fly's bait fish post, because the link doesn't take me to the post. I also can't go to other links that are in good posts.

Well, after many hours of searching and scanning, I finally found the advanced search icon. And by using the advanced search, I was able to find many posts and the links worked to other posts that are great reading also. Baitfish, know your shad, and many others that I can now bookmark and read. Catt, Matt Fly, and others, thank you.

[Catt]

Nitrofreak, while all fish relate to structure in some manner not all structure holds fish. Re-read the top of page #2 to learn why!

While spending a ton of time on the water will help the key to understanding what structure is prime structure is to first understand the available food source.

It is said some the best bass anglers are also excellent deer hunters because they understand where the deer bed down, where the available food source is throughout the year and how the deer travel unseen from one to the other.

They follow structure: ridges, hills, valleys, creek/river bottoms, edges of wooded/fields, fire lines and logging roads.

Bass fisherman are bass hunters

[Nitrofreak]

Thanks a ton catt, and others !!!

This will give me a newer approach to fishing areas of my home lake and a whole lot of homework to find the answers to as well.

As I look forward to the new challenges, I also find that it's hard to believe that one three letter word, when asked, opens new chapters in our ever changing, always evolving, personal fishing journal's.

Why?

I think I have forgotten to ask myself this one word far too many times in the past, the results of my last few trips reflect that as well.

[Catt]

There comes a time when it's easier to kick up an old thread!

[Team9nine]

There comes a time when it's easier to kick up an old thread!

 

...Or simply recommend everyone to pick up and read a copy of "Spoonplugging: Your Guide to Lunker Catches" over the winter. Saves a lot of typing, and covers the subject more thoroughly than any forum posts could. Straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak...

 

-T9

[Catt]

Or both

[Todd2]

Good thread Catt, thanks for bumping it back up.

[Munkin]

Good thread Catt, thanks for bumping it back up.

 

I agree! This information is a lot better than the normal "what is your favorite color senko". Personally I struggle with structure fishing in lakes and it is what I have been working on the last couple of years. Most of the lakes around here are deep and clear which make them tough to fish in the summer. There is one in particular that I can catch a 20+ lb bag in the spring but struggle to catch 5 keepers during the summer. I know the fish move deeper but cannot figure them out at all.

 

Allen

[basscatcher8]

Glad to see this thread back at the top. Always enjoy reading through it and pick something new I missed before in it.

[Hattrick7]

This is some good stuff! I still can't find the post from Matt Fly. Even tried a google search to no avail.

[Catt]

The post from Matt Fly is under the best of

[Hattrick7]

And there it is thank you sir

[Ted Kaufman]

@George Welcome -- Excellent post, George. Nice job of defining structure and cover. "Welcome" clarity!